Success with Keeping SPS Corals

[DKoKoMan]

Hey folks, looking to the Canreef gurus with experience in successfully keeping sps corals (mixed Reef or sps dominant). I think it would be a good thread to have some of the people with thriving sps tanks post their parameters, tips & tricks, aquarium husbandry and photographs for others to learn.

Looking for people with a reef tank containing sps that has been running for 6+ months to share. I think this is beneficial to those who are interested in sps, have sps, are new to the hobby and want to grow out frags to colonies. I'm looking forward to the contribution from some of the "big players" who culture some incredible frags and colonies

Hoping to get taught and get a thriving sps dominant tank.

[takeastabatit22]

That would be nice to read! I've converted to sps just after my first year of the hobby. Now it's been a few month's and I've been through a lot of ups and downs. I seem to learn faster when it seems to cost me $$$.
Salinity 1.026
Alk 9.4
Cal. 450
Mg. 1300
N03 18ppb
N04 0

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[WarDog]

You are going to have so many opposing variables your head will be spinning soon.

There is just no right or wrong way to have a successful SPS tank. I've seen so many different methods produce amazing SPS growth and colours. Reef Raft tanks are completely different from Jason Fox's tanks, yet both have out of this world colours. Bblinks runs his tank completely different to Rice Reef's tank, yet they are some of the nicest growing colonies here in the west. Some tanks hold ALK at a steady 10, and some fluctuate from 9 to 5.5 in less than 2 weeks. Some people do huge water changes often, and some people don't change water at all. What works for one person, won't work for another.

I think the main thing to note is, you need to be able to read your corals needs, and make slow changes. You need to be vigilant in testing parameters, and remember that nothing good happens fast in this hobby.
There is definitely no magic elixir (except maybe apexifd's P Balance).

Your best resources are the tank journals with the most views. You can definitely learn a thing or two from them. The majority of those members are very helpful at answering questions (most of which have been in the hobby for years and years).

Good luck, and welcome to the club of trying to master SPS.

[DKoKoMan]

WarDog you make very good points. I find it very interesting on how different setups can take you to the same end results. I think some good information will come out and I agree with you on watching the corals/tank rather then chasing numbers.

[CHEAPREEF]

I think we can all agree that the actual numbers if in range mean little. For SPS stability is key, pick a desired number for all your parameters and keep the tank as close to those as you are able be it with dosing water changes whatever. Keep it stable.

[Bblinks]

Good point warren. May I add that the methodology behind keeping a successful sps tank is secondary to starting with a clean healthy coral. So many tanks especially for beginners whom are misinformed and "tricked" into buying unhealthy, pest infested corals and not knowing what the signs to look for with the lack of knowledge for dipping and quarantine procedures, chasing numbers and eventually scratching their heads wondering what cause the corals demise. I can't stress enough about the getting your sps frags from a reliable source and on top of that, cut any base off and dip your corals with trusted brands of dipping sauce, reglue and remount. I personally have no space for a quarantine but if I had the space I would set it up in a instant. This is essential to keeping a healthy sps reef tank!

[DKoKoMan]

Well stated Bblinks. You see so many people getting in to the hobby and flushing out just as quick from these things.

[DKoKoMan]

Originally Posted by CHEAPREEF

I think we can all agree that the actual numbers if in range mean little. For SPS stability is key, pick a desired number for all your parameters and keep the tank as close to those as you are able be it with dosing water changes whatever. Keep it stable.

This is key.

Keep it coming!

[Snappy]

SPS huh? Never heard of it.

[DKoKoMan]

Originally Posted by Snappy

SPS huh? Never heard of it.

so your also good at storytelling